A Scottish walking charity has revealed its new strategy to help improve people’s lives and to help create a happier and healthier nation post-pandemic.
Charity Paths For All has launched ‘Step It Up’, which aims to tackle physical inactivity, poor mental health and wellbeing, transport inequalities and the climate crisis. The pandemic has caused massive upheaval and uncertainty in communities, and the charity believes there is an opportunity to learn from the past two years and rebuild and recover in a better way.
Walking and physical activity are at the heart of the strategy, in a bid to tackle some of the biggest issues in Scotland today.
The chief executive of Paths For All, Kevin Lafferty, said that the new strategy sets out a car focus for all of Scotland.
“We truly believe walking is unbeatable for our physical, mental, and social health and wellbeing. It helps us make friends, feel fitter, improves our concentration, helps us sleep better and boosts our immune system to protect us against viruses,” he added.
‘Step it Up’ has been structured around the four key objectives in the WHO Global Action Plan for Physical Activity, which looks to promote walking, whether on foot, with a wheelchair or mobility aid as the natural choice to improve health, tackle inequalities and respond to climate change.
Kevin added that we have all been on our own journeys during the past two years, and the pandemic has caused a polarising effect on Scots, with many choosing walking and physical activity as an anchor for physical and mental health, while a large number of Scots have become increasingly sedentary and face a barrier to an active lifestyle.
“We’ll look to create environments where everyone has the opportunity to be active, whether it’s for leisurely walks, or a short daily journey like getting to the shops, school or work.”
For more information on Paths for All, visit: https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/
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